"Why not?"
"'Cause, it so 'appened as she married summun else."
"And the second?"
"The second were a fine, pretty maid tu, but I couldn't marry
she."
"Why?"
"'Cause, Peter, she went an' took an' died afore I could ax 'er."
"And the third, you married."
"No, Peter, though it come to the same thing in the end--she
married I. Ye see, though I were allus at 'er beck an' call, I
could never pluck the courage to up an' ax 'er right out. So
things went on for a year or so, maybe, till one day--she were
makin' apple dumplings, Peter--'Martin,' says she, lookin' at
me sideways out of 'er black eyes--just like Prue's they were
--'Martin,' says she, 'you 'm uncommon fond o' apple-dumplings?'
'For sure,' says I, which I were, Peter. 'Martin,' says she,
'shouldn't 'ee like to eat of 'em whenever you wanted to, at your
very own table, in a cottage o' your own?' 'Ah! if you'd mak'
'em!' says I, sharp like. 'I would if you'd ax me, Martin,' says
she. An' so we was married, Peter, an' as you see, theer was a
Providence in it, for, if the first one 'adn't married some 'un
else, an' the second 'adn't died, I might ha' married one o'
they, an' repented it all my days, for I were young then, an'
fulish, Peter, fulish." So saying, the Ancient rose, sighing,
and knocked the ashes from his pipe.
"Talkin' 'bout Prue," said he, taking up his hat and removing his
snuff-box therefrom ere he set it upon his head, "talkin' 'bout
Prue," he repeated, with a pinch of snuff at his nostrils.
"Well?" The word seemed shot out of George involuntarily.
"Talkin' 'bout Prue," said the Ancient again, glancing at each of
us in turn, "theer was some folks as used to think she were sweet
on Jarge theer, but I, bein' 'er lawful gran'feyther knowed
different--didn't I, Jarge?"
"Ay," nodded the smith.
"Many's the time I've said to you a-sittin' in this very corner,
'Jarge,' I've said, 'mark my words, Jarge--if ever my Prue does
marry some'un--which she will--that there some 'un won't be you.'
Them be my very words, bean't they, Jarge?"
"Your very words, Gaffer," nodded George.
"Well then," continued the old man, "'ere's what I was a-comin'
to--Prue 's been an' fell in love wi' some 'un at last."